All good. I've been lurking and reading up on both the SST and the SEEZL. Torn between the too. I know they are totally different. Just debating which is best for me and where I ride.
The Steezl is fairly responsive when setup right, not as much as the SST, but not as far off as you would expect. They both climb really well, the Steezl doesn't sprint or get rolling as fast, but still, it isn't far off either. The suspension performance on the Steezl is obviously going to eat up larger bumps better and carry speed through chunky sections better, but the SST tracks through these things better than most think the travel numbers would indicate, it just transmits more to the rider. When you are dealing with a lot of large chunky sections, the SST becomes more of a handful, while it holds the line fine, it won't carry speed through those types of sections as fast and you'll feel it more. Having both, there are clear differences, but they aren't as far off as you'd think either.
If my trails were more tight, twisty, and required more sprinting or punchy climbs, I'd probably do the SST. If my goal was purely responsiveness to pumping, popping off things, etc, the SST is probably better. If you have long, extended descents with rougher terrain, then the Steezl will be the better choice. If you are racing enduro or riding bike parks, same, Steezl. They can both do things the other does fine, but the SST will be more responsive at the cost of rough terrain speed and comfort while the Steezl will be the opposite.
You can also accomplish a lot with faster rolling tires if your terrain is more mixed. You can also give the SST more performance in rougher stuff with different tires too.
As a comparison point, if you are familiar with Pisgah, the top of Butter Gap has a mellow grade chute that has a lot of roots jutting out, some of which aren't exactly small. It's not steep, but it is rough and some bikes can be a workout on them, the mellow grade makes keeping speed harder. The SST holds a line through this section fine, but it won't carry speed as well and at the bottom, my arms/shoulders were more fatigued trying to ride it out because you are pumping and absorbing more. The Steezl clears through this section a lot faster and smoother, with less effort. There's a drop right after this section that is just above rollable height and is mostly to flat on a flat section, the SST is easier to get off this requiring less input, while the Steezl requires more body movement. Later on, when the trail becomes tight/twisty or you have some punchy climb sections, the SST gets around those better and with less effort, you can get off the saddle and punch up them like a SS bike and the twisty or short up/down sections, despite being slightly rough, happen with less effort and smoother. Popping off little features on the trail is easier with the SST than the Steezl especially on flatter sections. When you get to the staircases, the SST moves a lot more under you whereas the Steezl is smoother and you engage less with them.
Hope that helps some. Both are great bikes and I've been really surprised what I got away with on the SST. I think it's just gonna come down to your terrain and how often you ride rougher or steeper trails.
